Present programs to be consolidated

Urban community development revenue sharing would replace a number of categorical programs-urban renewal (including conventional urban renewal and the neighborhood development program), code enforcement, interim assistance, demolition grants, rehabilitation grants, model cities, neighborhood facilities grants, and rehabilitation loans. There would be no lessening of Federal support for these activities between now and the effective date for the new legislation (January 1, 1972).

Simplified federal operations and requirements

No Federal approval would be required for any activity. Neither detailed applications nor matching local shares would be necessary. Cities would merely have to state in advance how they plan to use their funds. There would be an audit at the end of the year to determine how the money was expended. This requirement is included to assure that funds would be used for eligible activities. Discrimination in the use of these funds would be prohibited, and the rights of all persons to equitable treatment would be protected.

STATE AND LOCAL PLANNING AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS

Assistance would be provided (under title II of the Act) to help strengthen the planning and management capabilities of general purpose units of government at both State and local levels and help assure the more effective use of funds and local levels and help assure the more effective use of funds that would be made available through general and special revenue sharing. The Secretary of HUD would be authorized to make grants-with a $100 million annual program level— to States and localities with emphasis on improving State and local capacities to set specific objectives, make decisions with respect to those objectives, and followthrough on those decisions with modern planning and management techniques.

New ways are needed to renew and rebuild our
cities. Federal grant-in-aid programs for urban
development have not achieved the purposes for
which they were established. They have been
plagued by delay, duplication, waste, rigidity and
inconsistency.

The President's plan for Urban Community
Development Revenue Sharing will cut red tape,
speed and coordinate programs and place the
responsibility in the hands of local officials.

Only by providing local leadership the authority

and the money to meet community development needs, can we give our cities a new lease on urban life.

Highlights

of the President's proposal

for Urban
Community
Development
Revenue
Sharing